Shaun Pollock backs under fire Aiden Markram for Proteas number four spot

Centurion - Former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock has backed Aiden Markram to continue in the number four batting position in Tests for the Proteas, despite a lack of recent form.

Pollock, 48, was speaking on SuperSport’s Wake up and Smell the Cricket show after the conclusion of the second Test between South Africa and New Zealand on Tuesday. South Africa won the second Test by 198 runs to end the series 1-1 in Christchurch.

Markram, though, and his position in the side has been the subject of debate due to his loss of form as he averages 16 in the four Tests he’s played in 2022, after averaging 34 in six Tests in 2021. To date, Markram has played 31 Tests and averages 35 with five centuries scored.

For Pollock who played 108 Test for South Africa, taking 421 wickets and scoring 3781 runs, it was between Markram and Rassie van Der Dussen for the number four batting position. The 33-year-old Van der Dussen has played 15 Tests for South Africa, scoring 824 runs at an average of 32.98 with a highest score of 98.

Pollock said: “From a selection perspective, sometimes you have to look short-term and sometimes you have to look long-term. For me if I’m chief of selectors with big series against England and Australia [coming up]… what do I want from my Test lineup?

“From what I’ve seen I like [Dean] Elgar and [Sarel] Erwee at the top. I’d go Keegan Petersen at three for what he did against India. I think it’s a shoot-out between Markram and Van Der Dussen at this stage [for number four].

“Van Der Dussen is another one of those guys that has got some good 30s and 40s but hasn’t really kicked on. You have to ask what you want from your middle order? You want someone who if they can get themselves in, they can then take the attack